Resetting means for counters



i7 7. TONEY, G 'MEN'TG, '20 OLD CDLON Application filed August 1 T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnoncn W. Tower, a citizen of the United States, residing at VValtham, in the county of ltiiddlesex and State of lilassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Resetting Means for Counters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for etting back to zero position the number-bear ing wheels or disks which are used in many instances for the purpose of making an automatic tally. l haveapplied the invention to an odometer provided for motor car use for the purpose of re-setting into the zero position those counter disks which are commonly provided in such instruments to show the distance traveled in a single trip, and are adapted to be set back to zero at any time independently-of the usual totalizing counters, and I have illustrated and described the invention in this combination in the present specification. I desire it understood, however, that I do not intend such illustration and description to be construed as a limitation of the invention, because it is my purpose to protect the novel features of this invention in any combination with counting disksor wheels, whatever the nature of the combinationmay otherwise be and whatever may be the use to which it is put. Thus, for example, I-may apply the invention to fare registers, such as are generally used in public conveyances, and to all other instruments of similar nature in which counting wheels are used and it is desired. to shift such wheels by manual operation.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide as the re-setting element for such an odometer or counter, a stem or shaft extending transversely to the axis of the counting disks and also to the face of the odometer instrument and being accessible for manipulation at one side of such iace; second, to combine with a re-setting clement arranged substantially as thus indicated, a means by which the same element may. put the counters in condition to be re-set, when moved or shifted in a certain way otherwise than that in which it is moved for setting them; and in general, to furnish improved means and principles for efiecting in a better manner than heretofore disconnection of l rs from the and their connection ment, and vice verse... in the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of an odometer in which my invention is embodied in combination with a speedometer and time-piece. Figure 2 is sectional detail view enlarged on line 22 of Figure 1, illustrating parts in which my invention is embodied.

Figure 3 is a similar sectional view show-- ing those parts wherein my invention is embodied placed in a different position from that in which they are illustrated in Fig ure 2. Q I

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

in the drawings the trip indicating counting disks or wheels, of which four are shown. are designated by the reference characters 11. 12, 13, and 14. For the purposes of this description such wheels or counters may be called the indicator of the instrument. In the ordinary odometer the number wheels 12, 13 and 14 represent, respectively, units, tens, and hundreds of miles, and the figures on the disk 11 repret'iriving mechanism wit the setting elesent tenths of a mile, but a counting mech-.

anism used "for other purposes would read in other units, and therefore the disk 11 may be more generically considered as the units-indicating wheel, for it is essentially that even when applied to register tenths of miles, and it will be so called in this description. The other disks represent, respectively, tens, hundreds, and thousands of the unit designated by the disk 11.

All of these disks except disk 11 are DIOHHtCCl IOtZLtHblY upon a sleeve 15 which is held fast by any suitable means, and through which passes a rotatable drive shaft 16, the latter carrying on its end at the right hand of the disk 2, one member 17 of a clutch, the complemental member being shown at 18 and being contained in a sleeve 19 to which the unit-indicating disk 11 is secured. Said sleeve 19 is adapted tobe moved endwise so as to connect the clutch member 18 with the clutch member 17 and disconnect it therefrom respectively. When these clutch members are connected, the disk 11 is rotated .bv the driving shaft, and imparts step by step motion at every ro s l 1 wheels are l l K V i i .23 wmcn are nit-cu tip-on ii'iventien is not cond mechanism wit w s for mounting the carrying wheels, all of which are old, where'tore not s town in complete detail herein.

I The normal. position oi" the unit-indicatina' disk 11 and ot the clutch member 18 is that shown in Figure 3. The particular clutches are here shown of the radial ratchet tooth tvpe. and the member 18 is mounted so that itmav yield when the driving shaft is rotated reversely or when the units disk is turned ahead of the shaft, being titted to slide in the sleeve l9 and pressed toward the clutch member 17' by a spring while it is connected to the sleeve by a pin passing through a slot 26 in the clutch member and anchored at its ends in the sleeve, such slot permitting endwise movement of the clutch member in the sleeve, and its sides co-operating' with the pin to prevent rotation relatively to the sleeve.

(in the exterior ot the sleeve 19 is a second sleeve 27 which is pressed against a shoulder 28 by a spring 29 confined between sleeve 27 and the hub portion 30 of a crown gear 31 which is secured to the sleeve 19 by a screw 32 and is prevented from rotatinggthereon by a pin Sleeve 27 and the part of the sleeve 19 next to the shoulder 28 are fitted to rotate in a bearing sleeve 23 i, which is held by one end in a post 35 fixed to the base of the frame of the instrument. h

The sleeve 27 has two peripheral grooves 30 and 37. into the former of which enters the narrow end 38 of one arm of a bell crank lever pivoted on a fulcrum pin 39 which is mounted between lugs it) on the side of the case. The other arm ll of said lever extends across the end of a stem 42 which is mounted in a bracket 43 on the cover to extend beside the face of the odometer instrunient at right angles to the plane of such taco and carries a crown 4's: in accessible position to be turned between the thumb and finger of the operator. (in this stem is secured by a pin a spur gear 46 which meshes with the crown gear 81.-

lhe stem 42 is movable endwise as well as rotatably in its bearing in the bracket 43, and it is pressed outwardly by a spring 4-7.

The groove 37 previously mentioned receives one end of a leaf spring 48 which is tired upon the side of the post 35 and con-- stantly exerts pressure tending to hold the wheel 20 mesh wi ctwcen he carrying; wheel 20 r 1 4 ml in the hub oi the disk it at the "igrlit oi the g' ar is a groove 5:2. iii-hen disk ll is inthe normal position, shown in Figure 3, the rim of gear 19 is in the 'roove 51 and the rim of pinion is in the whereby these gear elements are oi mesh and permitted to rota pendently of one another without an e 52,

*terence.

The par in the posi n last in- ;s being dicated, the units disl: is .driven by the shaft 16 and motion is intermittei'itlycarried therefrom in the usual manner to the disks 12, 13, and But when it is desired to re-set the indicator, the crown 414iis pushed inward, that is toward the bracket 43. This -auscs the stem to pi ss on. lever arm and rock the arm 38 so as to withdraw the sleeve 19 carrying the disk ll from the next dish, bringing the rear 49 into mesh with the pinion 50. The force applied for that purpose is transmitted to the sleeve 19 through the outer sleeve 27 and spring 29 in order not to injure the teeth oi these gear elements in case they should not Je in position to mesh at thetime this shitting takes place. At the same time the gearselG and 31 are thought fully into mesh, the teeth of these gears being suiiiciently deep and pointed to cause them to engage without interference when each is thus moved toward the axis oi. the other. At the same time the clutch member 18 is withdrawn from engagement with the clutch member 17. There is enough space between the gears it and 50 in the normal position to permit complete disconnection of the clutch members before these gears come into mesh, in order that there may be no such locking as would prevent resetting".

now the crown-4i: is rotated, the disk 11 is correspondingly rotated. The first motion o1 the disk brings the gear 4w into mesh with 50, in case it did not so mesh at first.

sea

I produced at low cost and is little liable t indicator to be re-set' with only one-tenth as many motions andm one-tenth of the time that would be required otherwise. .l Vhen the setting crown is released spr ng 48 restores the parts to normal positlon;

The part of the herein described mechanism in which my present invention resides is thesetting stem arranged transversely to the face of the instrument with a crown or knob. beside such face, and the means'which put the counter disks in condition to be reset whenever the re-setting device, which is the crown 44, is pushed inward. One advantage in this construction and arrangement is that thereby the resetting mechanism may be made operative and the resetting may be accomplished with the use of a single hand and by what is essentially a single movement, that is, an inward push of the operatorfs fingers and at the same time a twirling of the crown. Another advantage is this, that T am able to securethis result by means'of a setting device which is mounted beside the face of the instrument. This is important in connection with odometers used with automobiles, such odometers being usually mounted upon the dashboard of the vehicle with their faces nearly flush with the exposed face of such dashboard. A. further advantage is the simplicity and gedness of the mechanism,' which can be out of order. W What ll claim. and desire to secure by hetters Patent is 1. The combination in a counter withaline'd number disks and a driving shaft coaxial with said disks and disconnect-ibly connected to one of them, of a re-setting device compnsing a stem at an angle to the a is of the disks which is movable both axially and rotatably, mechanism operated by axial movement of said stem for disconnecting said disconnect-ible disk from the said shatt, and mechanism operated by rotation of said stem for turning said disk.

2. The combination with a rotatable nnm her-carrying disk, a drive shaft therefor and a clutch member associated with said disk and connectible with said shaft, of a setting stem mounted for movement both longitudinally and rotatably, intermeshing gears connected to said stem and said disk respec tively, and a lever having ne in position to be displaced by movement of said stem axially, and having a-second arm engaged with said disk in such manner as to withdraw the same and the associated clutch element from connection with the shaft when so moved.

3. ln a counting mechanism a rotatable and axially movable counting disk, a driving shaft having a clutch element, a complemental clutch element connect-ed with the disk and movable axially therewith into out of connection with the shalt-carried clutch element, a lever having one arm n connection with said disk for moving the same axially, a gear connected to said disk for moving the same rotatably, a setting element engaged with said lever and movable so as to displace the latter, and a gear connected to said stem. and in mesh with the aforesaid gear for rotating the disk.-

The combination with a series of mini ber-displayin disks, a driving shaft for the unit-indicating disk, complemental clutch members, one connected to said shaft and the oth r connected to said unit-indicating disk, said disk being movable axially to disconnect and connect, respectively, said clutch members, said disk having an elongated hub in which one of said clutch members is contained, a gear on the end of said hub, a retatable and endwise movable setting stem, a ear fired to said stem adapted to mesh with the aforesaid gear, a sleeve mounted on the hub of said disk and arranged to apply force for displacing the same when moved axially, and a lever having one arm connected to said sleeve and having the ,other arm crossing the path in which said stem moves axially, whereby the latter is enabled to disengage said unit disk from the driving shaft. 7

In an indicator having number-exhibiting disks the combination with a drive shaft, a clutch disconnectibly engageable with said shaft and connected with one of said disks, being displaceable into and out of connection with tne shaft, a setting mem ber arranged substantially at right angles to and geared to said disk and operable to rotate the latter, and a clutch shifter having connection with said clutch and operable by said setting device for disengaging the clutch from the drive shaft.

6. In an indicator having a series of number-exhibiting disks mounted coaxially with means for carrying movement periodically from each right hand disk to the neighboring disk at the left, a driving shaft, complemental clutch members connected to said driving shaft and the righthand disk. respectively, arrangel for engagement and disengagement by axial shifting'of said disk. a rotatably and axially movable setting member geared to said righthand disk for resetting the same, and a shifter mechanism operable by said setting member when moved axially to shift the right hand disk axially, and thereby disengage the clutch member carried by the disk from the complemental clutch member.

7. In an indicator having a plurality of number-exhibiting disks with carrying mechanism between adjacent disks and a drive haft, complemental clutch members on said drive shaft and right hand disln respectively, operable to be connected nd disconnected by movement anally of said disk, connected pnnons for conveying contlnuous motion from said right hand dlsk to the next disk being normally out of engagement with the right hand disk but adapted to become engaged therewith when the latter is so displaced as to disconnect its clutch member from the clutch memberon said shaft, a single setting member and means operated by said setting" member for both shifting the right hand disk in the manner above indicated and for rotating the same.

S. In an indicato' a plurality of indicating disks and intermediate carrying inechanisms. a drivingg'shafh complemental intern eshine' toothed clutch elements connected to said driving shaft and the rigl'ht hand disk respectively and said right hand disk being movable a: ally tor disconnecting said clutch elements to permit setting of the disks, and for reconnecting said clutch ele ments respectively.

9. n an indicator a plurality of number indicating disks and intermediate car ying mechanisms a drive shaft, complemental clutch elements on said drive shaft and the right hand indicating disk, said disk being displaceable axially whereby to disconnect and connect such clutch elements a setting stem {)l'OjOCtlIlQ' at an angle to the axis of said disks and being movable end vise and also rotatably, means for displacing the disk when said stem is moved endwise, and complemental gears on said disk and stem arranged to intern .Sli for rotating the disk by rotation of the stem.

10. in an indicator a driving sha L5 a series of intercomtiected counting disks mounted to rotate about said shaft, the right hand endmost disk being movable axially a clutch element on the shaft, a complen'iental clutch element connected to said 'ght hand disk adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the other clutch member when said disk is so moved one direction or the other, a gear element connected to said right handdisk, a setting stem arranged an angle to the axis of said disk and beingmovable endwise and also rotatably a gear element carried hereby compleuiental i b to the gear element of the disk adapted mesh therewith whereby to turn the disk for resetting when the stem is moved endwise in one directiom and a lever having an arm gr anged to be displaced by said stem when the latter is displaced in the aforesaid direction, and having a second .arin arranged to apply force to the right hand disk at such times tending to move it in the direction versely to the axis or the disks with provi- '..otlier is engaged non-rotatab which *auscs disconnection v0.5? said .'lut :h elements.

11. Lil odometer instrinnent including;

series of number indicating disks a driving element, eoa: with said disks, disconnee ble clutching. means between said (tl'bflii flg element and the units disk of s and i and a setting stem geared to the projecting transversely thereto at one side 01': the instrument.

iin indicator instrument in in 2 series of axially alined number disk. to exhibit at the face of the numbers from which readings are resetting stem mounted subs i right angles both to the for the units disk of said series ially therewith, disengageable means between said driver and 1111' and gearing arranged to trans: from said setting stem to the um 13. it counting ii'istrument ll)()(i "yiilf, axially alined series of number disks, a driving shalt coaxial therewith, con )lQlHCililiLi clutch members associated lflriPQCtlYOl) ii said shaft and the units indicating"disk of said series, a resetting" stem mounted transsion tor endwise movement and rotatiom gearing between said re-scttine stem 1 units indicating disln and me 1 I endwise movement of the stem for causing disconnection of aid elutch members the gearing being arranged to mesh when the elutch members are separated.

141-. in a counting instrument r. series axially alined numb-er disks,-

drivii sh complemental clutch members one or wl is secured to said driving shaft and with llillzLS disk of th series one o'; laid clutch members being movable into and out gragement with the other, a lO-HtlltlilfQ. er-itending transversely to the axis of disks and being movable both rotat'ablyi mechanism operable by said st in its endwise movement in one direction tor disconnecting said clutch members a s} i a :ting on said stem tending to move it one wise intm and retain it in, the position in which it permits coupling of the clutch members and gearing arranged to transmit rotation from the stem to the said units i: wl'ien the stem is in the clutch uncouplingposition In testimony whereof I have signature. I

w i l bdlti,

endwise :1 

